ZERO TOLERANCE THEORY OF CP

Zero Tolerance Policing is an intensely debated crime control strategy in the West. Zero
tolerance policing is said to have its philosophical origins in the Broken Windows' article published by
James Q Wilson and George L Kelling in the journal, The Atlantic Monthly, in March 1982. In short, this
thesis asserts that just as an unrepaired broken window is a sign that nobody cares and leads to more
damage; minor incivilities - such as begging, public drunkenness, vandalism and graffiti - if unchecked
and uncontrolled, produce an atmosphere in a community in which more serious crime will flourish.
Over time, individuals may feel that they can get away with minor offences, which leads them to commit
more serious offences.

According to this theory, there is a link between minor disorderly behavior and rise in crime.
Such disorderly behavior – litter, broken windows, and graffiti – would create a public perception that no
one cares and everything goes. When such seemingly major crime. If not firmly suppressed, it will
frighten citizens and encourage criminals. Zero Tolerance Policing, therefore, means that, by pursuing
minor crime vigorously, the authorities can create an environment in which crime of more dangerous
kinds cannot flourish (Jafa 2001: 105). Importantly, the crime prevention hypothesis contained in the
zero tolerance policing theory is that the more arrests police make for every petty disorder, the less
serious crime there will be.

In zero-tolerance policing, laws are strictly enforced and suspicious people are stopped and
questioned, which increases the opportunity to find fugitives. An example of zero-tolerance policing is
the targeted approach to crime control used in New York City. From 1993 to 1997, murder and non-
negligent homicides dropped 60.2%, forcible rape decreased 12.4%, robbery dropped 48.4%, and
burglary was reduced by 45.7%. The Mayor’s office credited the police department for this crime
decrease; the zero-tolerance policy was a primary strategy the department used (Swenson, Henggeler,
Taylor and Addison 2005: 209).